Peru's Association of Exporters (ADEX) has announced the country's asparagus export values grew 16% to US$116.7 million in the first four months of 2011, compared to the same period last year.

ADEX said while asparagus was still the 'star' of the country's agroexports, the result represented a 5% fall on the same period in 2008 before the financial crisis.

Fresh and refrigerated asparagus exports grew 7% to US$64.8 million in the period, while the category 'prepared or conserved without freezing' grew 37% to US$43.2 million.

ADEX reported 39.4% of total exports were bound for the U.S. with a total value of US$47.1 million, followed by Spain (US$19.2 million) and the Netherlands (US$17.6 million).

Peru's asparagus exports to France rose 95% to US$14.4 million, while the South American country also registered new export destinations such as Bulgaria, Swaziland and Aruba.

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